Ed Mierzwinski
Senior Director, Federal Consumer Program, PIRG
Senior Director, Federal Consumer Program, PIRG
N.J. PIRG Law & Policy Center
Trenton – Dangerous or toxic toys can still be found on America’s store shelves, according to NJ Public Interest Research Group Law & Policy Center’s 30th annual Trouble in Toyland report. The survey of potentially hazardous toys found that, despite recent progress, consumers must still be wary when shopping this holiday season.
The report reveals the results of laboratory testing on toys for toxic chemicals, including chromium and phthalates, both of which can have serious, adverse health impacts on a child’s development. The survey also found examples of toys that pose a choking hazard, extremely loud toys that can threaten children’s hearing, and powerful toy magnets that can cause serious injury if swallowed.
“We should be able to trust that the toys we buy are safe. However, until that’s the case, toy buyers need to watch out for common hazards when shopping for toys,” said Carli Jensen, Toxics Campaign Director with NJ PIRG.
For 30 years, the NJ PIRG Trouble in Toyland report has offered safety guidelines for purchasing toys for small children, and provided examples of toys currently on store shelves that pose potential safety hazards. Over the years, our reports have led to over 150 recalls and other enforcement actions.
“While parents are on a mad-dash to scoop up the hottest toys, safety should be at the top of everyone’s wish lists,” says Carol Ann Giardelli, Director, Safe Kids New Jersey. She advises that it’s a great time to think about fun as well as safety by making sure toys are appropriate for a child’s age and maturity level. “Over five hundred children a day are treated in emergency rooms for toy-related injuries, and more than a third of those injuries are in children ages 4 and under,” noted Ms. Giardelli.
Key findings from this year’s report include:
Over the past seven years, stronger rules have helped get some of the most dangerous toys and children’s products off the market. Rules put in place by the 2008 Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act tightened lead limits and phased out dangerous phthalates. Earlier this year, the CPSC implemented a ban on small, powerful toy magnets which is also an important step forward. However, not all toys comply with the law, and holes in the toy safety net remain.
“Our leaders and consumer watchdogs need to do more to protect our youngest consumers from the hazards of unsafe toys – no child should ever be injured, get sick, or die from playing with a dangerous toy,” said Jensen. “Also, the CPSC should finalize its rule to include other toxic phthalates like DIBP on its list of banned phthalates.”
All toxic chemical tests are completed by a CPSC-accredited lab. Other tests are completed under expert direction. The validity of our research methodology is amply demonstrated by the fact that the CPSC and toy manufacturers have taken at least 150 actions—recalls, stop sales, etc.—over the years in response to our annual toy safety report.
Check out our special 30th anniversary blog here which contains our toy safety highlights and achievements over the past 30 years.
To download our full Trouble in Toyland report, go to our website at http://www.njpirgcenter.org/. Parents can find our list of unsafe toys, as well as tips for safe toy shopping this holiday season, at www.toysafetytips.org.
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NJ PIRG (Public Interest Research Group) Law & Policy Center is an independent, non-partisan group that works for consumers and the public interest. Through research, public education and outreach, we serve as counterweights to the influence of powerful special interests that threaten our health, safety, or well-being.